Home Office

Temporary Accommodation: Coronavirus

baroness lister of burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that all UK residents, regardless of immigration status, are able to access accommodation in order to self-isolate during the COVID-19 pandemic.

baroness williams of trafford: We are taking a compassionate and pragmatic approach to an unprecedented situation and we are keeping the situation under review to consider if further measures are needed.The Government has provided £1.6 billion of additional funding to local authorities to enable them to respond to Covid-19 pressures across all the services they deliver, including stepping up support for the adult social care workforce and for services helping the most vulnerable.Using the General Power of Competence set out in s.1 Localism Act 2011, local authorities may provide support to a person who is ineligible for assistance due to immigration status.Additionally, the Home Office has confirmed in light of the pandemic, anyone who would normally cease to be eligible for accommodation because their asylum claim and any appeal has been resolved, is being allowed to remain in their current accommodation for at least the next three months. This applies both to those who have been refused asylum and granted asylum.All people in asylum accommodation have been provided with guidance and advice on Covid-19 in a language they understand to help them self-isolate, including spotting the symptoms and hygiene guidance.

Department of Health and Social Care

Interferon Alpha-2B

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of Interferon alfa-2B in treating COVID-19; and what plans they have, if any, touse that drug.

lord bethell: The Department is considering carefully all available evidence around the potential of different medicines for use in treating COVID-19.Clinical trials are being developed to assess the benefits of a number of different medicines in treating COVID-19. Further medicines may be trialled should evidence indicate to the Department that this would be an appropriate course of action.The world’s largest randomised clinical trial of potential coronavirus treatments is well underway in the United Kingdom as part of the race to find a treatment. A number of promising treatments are being tested and, if the science supports it, will be given to National Health Service patients as quickly as possible.

Coronavirus: Medical Treatments

lord sharkey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential impact of COVID-19 on the work programme of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, in particular (1) the development and publication of technology appraisal guidance, and (2) the review of its methods and processes.

lord bethell: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has adapted its priorities to support the National Health Service, local authorities and the wider health and social care sector to tackle COVID-19.NICE’s immediate priorities include frontline staff being released from committee meetings and panels to minimise the disruption to critical care for those affected by COVID-19 and minimising the publication of outputs that might be a distraction during this critical time. NICE will only publish guidance, including technology appraisal guidance that is therapeutically critical or focused on COVID-19-related issues, and will continue with, but not publish other work, as staffing and other resources allow, including the review of its methods and processes. Information about the NICE methods review will be available shortly.These priorities will be reviewed in six to eight weeks.

Coronavirus: Medical Treatments

lord sharkey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to ensure that the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has adequate levels of patient and patient group participation in its review of its methods and processes.

lord bethell: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has had a specific workstream focussing on patient involvement aspects of both its methods and processes. NICE held a workshop with 22 patient groups, used the findings to develop an in-depth questionnaire and received responses from 52 patient groups. The findings and proposals of this are informing the other workstreams.Further key aspects include having three patient group representatives on the Methods Review Working Group; having patient representatives on task and finish groups undertaking the detailed methods work; convening a Stakeholder Insight Group to inform process developments, which has numerous patient group representatives; and outreach talks at various key patient group meetings.

Coronavirus: Medical Treatments

lord sharkey: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they estimate the National Institute for Health and Care Excellencewill issue a consultation on changes to the routing criteria for the appraisal of medicines through its highly specialised technologies programme.

lord bethell: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is continuing to work through the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on its work programmes. NICE anticipates that further information on the timing of the consultation on changes to the routing criteria for the appraisal of medicines through its highly specialised technologies programme should be available within the next few weeks.

Cabinet Office

Parks and Public Transport: Coronavirus

lord truscott: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to (1) close public parks, and (2) enforce only essential travel on public transport networks; and if they have any such plans, whenthey anticipate bringing them into effect.

lord true: On 23 March, the Government announced enhanced measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus, including the closure of certain businesses and venues. A full list has been published on the GOV.UK website. The Government’s priority is to save lives and the best way for people to protect themselves and others from illness is to stay at home.Exercise is important for people’s physical and mental wellbeing. Parks are generally permitted to remain open, but only for individuals and households to exercise once a day in a manner consistent with social distancing measures. Communal spaces within parks such as playgrounds and football pitches are closed.The Government has advised that people should stay local, and use open spaces near to their home where possible to avoid unnecessary travel. Where parks cannot be used in accordance with the social distancing measures, it is up to the local authority to determine what action is necessary.Transport should only be used for one of the limited reasons specified in the guidance: shopping for basic necessities as infrequently as possible; one form of exercise a day; any medical need, or to provide care for a vulnerable person; and travelling for work purposes (only where working from home is not possible). The British Transport Police is deploying dedicated teams to national rail and London Underground stations to reinforce Government messaging and to help to enforce the new health protection regulations, and the Government will not hesitate to go further if that is what the evidence advises.